Train operator Northern is laying on extra services this week to help thousands of racegoers travel to the Grand National Festival at Aintree.
With more than 130,000 people expected over the festival’s main two days – Friday 4 April and Saturday 5 April – the rail operator is boosting capacity and running additional trains to Liverpool Lime Street and Ormskirk, with onward connections to Aintree via Merseyrail.
Racegoers can expect a smoother journey thanks to:
- Additional Northern services between Preston and Ormskirk, with trains at 09:34 and 11:34, returning from Ormskirk at 19:18 and 21:18.
- Extra carriages on existing Northern trains, particularly:
- Between Wigan North Western and Liverpool Lime Street via St Helens Central
- Between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport on Saturday evening
Once in Liverpool, travellers can switch to Merseyrail services from Liverpool Central for the 15-minute ride to Aintree station, which is located just across from the racecourse.
Northern’s regional director, Craig Harrop, said:
“We’re delighted to be providing some extra horsepower to help get racegoers to the Grand National and safely home again. With increased capacity and the extra services we’ve been able to provide, we’re making it easier than ever for racing fans to enjoy the excitement of the day.”
He added:
“Driving to the festival is going to be difficult, so we’re encouraging everybody to back a winner and get home by train!”
Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to over 500 stations across the North of England.
